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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29728149">A Warm Winter</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePieGod7/pseuds/ThePieGod7'>ThePieGod7</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Love Live! School Idol Project</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Arguing, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Future Fic, Implied Sexual Content, Nozomi is there too I guess, Reunions, Winter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:49:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,295</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29728149</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePieGod7/pseuds/ThePieGod7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After graduation, Nico becomes a different person. Plagued with regrets, a certain meeting brings her solace.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nishikino Maki/Yazawa Nico</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Warm Winter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span> “So how’s work, Nico-chan?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nico sighed. Even 4 years after she graduated, Nozomi still kept tabs on everyone from µ’s. It’d be a lie to say Nico didn’t appreciate the sentiment. She was never good at making friends, and that held true in her professional career. Being an office woman wasn’t fun, but work is work, after all. Nozomi had asked Nico to join her for coffee on her day off, just the two of them. Normally, she would decline, but a spout of boredom and loneliness pushed her to do otherwise. So far, it hadn’t been terrible</span>
  <em>
    <span>, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but sometimes Nozomi could be a bit too… </span>
  <em>
    <span>curious </span>
  </em>
  <span>for Nico’s taste.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Can we not talk about that right now?,” Nico replied, leaning her back against the table.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Well, alright.” Nozomi took a sip from her coffee cup, but not before slipping off her long coat. Even though it was only midday, the Japan winter was as freezing as ever, and the thick layer of snow that covered the ground outside was proof of that. The inside of the coffee shop had plenty of heating, though. Wearing a coat in here would probably get you pretty sweaty. Nico was wearing multiple layers herself but had already shed her coat upon entering the store.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Say, whatever happened with you and Maki-chan?” Nozomi looked at Nico inquisitively.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nico winced. She dreaded thinking about Maki more than thinking about work, but that didn’t stop the thoughts from entering her mind often. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Too </span>
  </em>
  <span>often. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “We’re… not on good terms.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Why not?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “We had a fight. A couple years ago.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Can’t you make up?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “No, we can’t.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Why c-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Look, I don’t want to talk about that either, ok?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nozomi only stared at her blankly, lips still open to speak. But she closed them, and nodded silently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nico looked at her phone. It was 1:42 pm. There wasn’t anything business she had to take care of that day, and she wouldn’t need to make dinner until much later. But… </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “I have to go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Oh, already?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Y-yeah.” Nico avoided looking at Nozomi’s face. She didn’t want to see the disappointment that would be exuding from her eyes. Everyone was always disappointed with her. “See you later.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Bye-bye.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nico donned her coat and ventured back into the biting temperature of the Japan outside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> In truth, the incident with Maki had been plaguing her mind ever since it happened. It was an argument. A stupid argument, that they shouldn’t have had. After dating for a year, Maki decided she liked the ‘real’ Nico, and asked her to drop her idol act, at least when talking with her friends. Maki was open about how she thought it was unhealthy, for Nico to hide her emotions from everyone that cared about her. Nico declined. Maki kept asking. Eventually, they started yelling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nico could still remember Maki’s final words to her.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span> “Fine, then! Stay that way, I don’t care! Be ‘Nico the idol’ or whatever, just not with me!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> They rang through Nico’s ears now as they did the day she heard them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> She did give up the idol act, after a while. Not that she talked much, not these days. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> She wished she could apologize, but she didn’t have the courage to talk to Maki. Hell, she didn’t even know where Maki </span>
  <em>
    <span>was.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Maki was just a doctor in some nameless hospital, as far as she was concerned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> And Nico thought about that. Every day. For years. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Hearing her phone vibrate, Nico looked up from her tearstained pillow. A text from Nozomi.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Nico-chan, can you meet me at Kanda Shrine? I have something I need to show you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>That was… unexpected. Nico’s calendar didn’t say any holidays were today, and she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>pretty </span>
  </em>
  <span>sure she didn’t miss a birthday.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Why? Is there an event or something?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Just come here. You’ll see when you get here.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span> Can’t you just send a picture?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span> No, it has to be in person.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nico groaned, and looked at her clock. 5:16. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Fine, just give me a minute. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nico braved into the winter once more. Wearing mittens and a beanie, a cloud of mist appeared from her mouth. Streetlights dotted around illuminated the ground, as well as the snowflakes that floated softly from the dark grey sky above. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> As she thought, there was indeed no celebration happening at Kanda. Only a few passerbys giving an offering, and what seemed to be a group of students taking a selfie. Although there wasn’t a sign of Nozomi, either. She moved her hand to grab her phone, before seeing </span>
  <em>
    <span>her.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Maki. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nico froze, but not because of the cold. Her limbs couldn’t move, and her mouth was stuck open. Maki had already noticed her, and looked to be equally shocked. Maki swallowed, though, and started to walk towards Nico. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nico’s heart welled with fear. What was she going to do? What was she going to say? Were they about to fight here? In public? Nico was worried until the very moment Maki was right in front of her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “...Nico-chan.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Up close, Nico could see Maki’s eyes were welled up. Sadness seared through her voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “You’re not… mad?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “No.” Maki shook her head. “What I am is sorry. I-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “No, I’m the one that should be sorry. I shouldn’t have upset you. I’m sorry.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nico blinked, gazing into Maki’s face. Her features were still the same, but slightly different, however contradictory that may be. Her hair was still the same bright red, but it was longer. Her eyes were still a beautiful purple, but it was deeper. Her face was still attractive, but it was… older. Maki was older. Nico didn’t expect any different, but it was still weird to see in person.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nico caressed Maki’s cheek. Even through the cold, Nico could feel the warmth radiate from her face, although that may have been her mitten. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Maki-chan.” Nico whispered softly. “Do you still want to… go out with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span> “Yes.” Maki replied, placing her hand on Nico’s shoulder. “I’ve wanted to for years. I thought you wouldn’t accept me after our fight, but…” Maki trailed off, gazing wistfully into Nico’s eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nico nearly gasped. Maki had felt the same as her? Had she suffered the same? Had she shed the same tears, brooded on the same memories, been tor-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Well, I guess that’s in the past. We have some catching up to do, huh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nico chuckled. “Yeah, I guess so.” They stared at each other for a minute, the moisture from their breath creating a shared cloud between their heads. “But… it’s a bit cold, isn’t it? Do you want to… </span>
  <em>
    <span>catch up</span>
  </em>
  <span> at my house?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Maki smiled. “Of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Nico heard her phone vibrate once again. Stretching her arm to grab it from her bed felt a bit awkward, but she was more preoccupied with the notification on her phone. She thought it was a bit late for a conversation over text, but her mind was changed when she saw who it was from. That being Nozomi.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>So, how was catching up with Maki-chan?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>What the hell? How did you know? Did you set us up?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span> Maybe.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>Nozomi then sent a winking emoticon. Nico gritted her teeth. It was hard to forget how good Nozomi was at getting to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> But then, Nico looked over at the woman wrapped around her. Fast asleep, Maki’s arms clung to Nico tight, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable, or burdening. It was a reminder that she had once again met the most important person in her life. For that, she now realized, she would feel eternally grateful to Nozomi.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>I guess I can’t say I’m complaining.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nico set the phone back on the nightstand beside her. She gently kissed Maki’s forehead, and fell asleep in her arms.</span>
</p>
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